Unique '57 Alfa Giulietta Sprint Veloce Lightweight 750E Conrero Racer heads for Creative Rides Auction

With fewer than 200 ever produced, the 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce Lightweight is one of the rarest Bertone-designed models ever.

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But rarer still is a Veloce Lightweight Conrero-tuned racer, and one of these scarce beasts will be going under the hammer on Saturday at the Creative Rides Classics & Collectables Auction in Cape Town.

Creative Rides CEO Kevin Derrick says the 1957 Alfa Giulietta Sprint Veloce Lightweight Conrero racer is one of the most exciting cars ever to go on auction in South Africa.

“Considering Bertone’s tiny production run (believed to be between 100 and 200 cars), the Alfa Giulietta Sprint Veloce Lightweight is now considered to be one of the rarest and most collectable cars in the world.

“The underlining theme for the Giulietta Sprint Veloce was less weight (or lightweight) which gave the car its Alleggerita name. The original production car was styled at Bertone, which also stripped out the Veloce version for racing.

“We don’t know of any other 1957 Veloce Lightweight chassis in South Africa, though, that was then further modified for racing by Virgilio Conrero at his Autotecnica Conrero facility.”

Derrick says documentation in Creative Rides’ possession shows that the Conrero edition Alfa on auction this Saturday was raced in Mozambique and Angola after it was first sold.

“It later underwent a body modification that turned this particular car into one of the most beautiful Alfas you’re ever likely to see.

“Integrating screened, covered headlamps into the sloped nose gives this car a phenomenal profile, while the rear is stunningly unique.

“That said, all the original Bertone factory lightweight parts are still integral to this car, including plexiglass side and rear windows, lightweight bucket seats, aluminium doors and an aluminium bonnet.”

Derrick says the engine currently fitted to the 1957 Alfa Giulietta Sprint Veloce Lightweight is not original.

“An engine refit would generally detract from the value of a classic car, but that’s absolutely not the case here, because the new engine – a 1960s 526 1600cc – was also Conrero-tuned and it sounds magnificent!”

According to Classic.com, the global auction price average over five years for “standard” Alfa Giulietta Sprint Veloce Lightweights is US$275 033 (or at current exchange rates, just over R5 million).

“They’re that expensive because they’re that rare – and these are the models that have not undergone two Conrero modifications since production like the one we’re auctioning on Saturday.

“How exactly does one value a unique collector classic like this? Certainly, higher than the few Veloce Lightweights that are still in existence today.

• View more highlights of the upcoming Creative Rides auction here.

“Top that off with a virtually concours restoration many years ago and what you have is a totally unique Alfa restoration of extreme value and outstanding beauty.”

Derrick says the full auction catalogue that includes the 1957 Alfa Giulietta Sprint Veloce Lightweight Conrero racer can be viewed at https://creativeridesauctions.com/.

“The catalogue is available on the Creative Rides app as well, which is a free download on both Android and iOS. Collectors who can’t be at the auction in person in Cape Town on Saturday, March 18,  will be bidding on the app.”

Registration for the auction is open. Registration can be done by contacting Creative Rides, or electronically via the app.

• Find the classic Alfa Romeo of your dreams here.

Public viewing of the more than 75 auction lots takes place between Wednesday and Friday at the Creative Rides showroom at 185-191 Main Rd, Constantiaberg, Cape Town.

Saturday’s live and virtual auction starts at 11am (Central African Time) at the Creative Rides Cape Town showroom. The auction will also be streamed to global viewers on Creative Rides’ website and social media channels.